With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013

With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013
With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013

Friday, December 22, 2017

BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES II: THE INFERNAL BATTLEFIELD coming to digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on February 13th

Well Go USA
Entertainment
presents
Brotherhood of Blades II: The Infernal Battlefield
Directed by Lu Yang
Starring Chang Chen
China,2017, 121 minutes

Director Lu Yang and star Chang Chen (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) re-team for an action-packed prequel to their 2014 success Brotherhood of Blades when the wuxia martial arts extravaganza Brotherhood of Blades II: The Infernal Battlefield lands on digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD February 13th from Well Go USA Entertainment. Chen recreates his role as Shen Lian and the film depicts how he became such a fearsome imperial guard. Brotherhood of Blades II: The Infernal Battlefield also stars Yang Mi (The Bullet Vanishes), Zhang Yi (Blood of Youth), Lei Jiayin (Guns and Roses), Xin Zhilei (Crosscurrent) and King Shih Chieh (The Guillotines). The bonus material includes behind-the-scenes footage.

Synopsis:
An imperial guard searches for the truth behind a conspiracy that framed him and his partners. The proof of his innocence lies with a wanted woman named Bei Zhai... but will she reveal what she knows? In this intense prequel to Brotherhood of Blades, the only thing he can truly trust is his sword.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Sci-fi thriller RESET debuting on Digital & Blu-ray February 6th, 2018

Well Go USA
Entertainment
presents
Reset
Directed by Hong-Seung Yoon
Starring Yang Mi 
China, 2017, 107 minutes

From producer Jackie Chan and director Hong-Seung Yoon (The Target) comes the action-packed sci-fi thriller Reset, which will arrive on digital and Blu-ray February 6th from Well Go USA Entertainment. Yang Mi (Brotherhood of Blades II) stars as a scientist trying to save her son from death at the hands of kidnappers by using an experimental universe-hopping/time-travel technology to save him. Reset also stars Wallace Huo (Our Time Will Come), King Shih-Chieh (The Final Master), Liu Chang (“The Kings Woman”) and newcomers Hummer Zhang and Wang Lidan. Reset was nominated as Best Film at the 2017 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival.

Synopsis:
In the near future, scientist Xia Tian (Yang Mi) is on the verge of a major discovery: time travel. After she successfully sends living tissue back in time by 110 minutes, her years of work seem to have paid off, but everything unravels when her young son is kidnapped and held for a hefty ransom - all of her research. When the drop goes sour and her son is killed, Xia Tian desperately sends herself back in time using her prototype, where she discovers multiple versions of her future self. Now, all of the Xia Tians must band together to save their son in this action-packed sci-fi thriller from producer Jackie Chan.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

LEGEND OF THE NAGA PEARLS coming to Digital, Blu-ray™ & DVD January 30th from Well Go USA

Well Go USA
Entertainment
presents
Legend of the Naga Pearls / Jiao zhu zhuan
Directed by Yang Lei
China, 2017, 108 minutes

Lavish fantasy abounds in the magical adventure Legend of the Naga Pearls, debuting on digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD January 30th from Well Go USA Entertainment. A royal descendant of an ancient winged tribe embarks on a quest to find magical pearls. When they fall into the hands of a human, he joins a team of unlikely heroes in a race against time to prevent the destruction of his people. Helmed by first-time feature film director Yang Lei, Legend of the Naga Pearls stars Darren Wang (Railroad Tigers), Crystal Zhang (The Founding of an Army), Sheng Guansen (City Monkey), Simon Yam (The Midnight After) and Xing Yu (Call of Heroes).

Synopsis:
After being defeated by humans centuries ago, the Winged Tribe has lost their ability to fly. Seeking vengeance, a royal descendant of the tribe has begun searching for the magical Naga Pearls, which he plans to use to destroy the humans. When the legendary pearls fall into - and out of - the hands of Heiyu, a wily human street punk, he must join a team of unlikely heroes as they race to prevent the destruction of their people in this magical fantasy adventure.

Monday, December 18, 2017

"Directing Godzilla: The Life of Filmmaker Ishiro Honda" a talk by Steve Ryfle on February 21, 2018

Japan Society NY
presents
Photo Courtesy of Honda Film, INc.
Directing Godzilla: The Life of Filmmaker Ishiro Honda
A talk by Steve Ryfle
When: Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 6:30 PM
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street, NYC
Tickets: $14/$11 Japan Society members, seniors & students 

Godzilla, Mothra, The Mysterians — Japan’s most celebrated monster movies and sci-fi classics were brought to the screen by filmmaker Ishiro Honda. A long-overlooked talent, Honda is now considered one of the most influential directors of Japanese cinematic history, wowing audiences with fantastical special effects while expressing the anxieties of Japan’s postwar reality.

At this talk, Steve Ryfle, noted scholar of Japanese science fiction cinema and author of Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, From Godzilla to Kurosawa, draws back the curtain on the man behind the monsters. Followed by a book signing reception.

Special Offer: Save $2 on the "Directing Godzilla: The Life of Filmmaker Ishiro Honda" talk, with your ticket purchase to the Godzilla film screening on February 2. To redeem, add both tickets to your cart and the discount will automatically be deducted. (No code necessary.)

Sunday, December 17, 2017

GODZILLA coming to Japan Society New York on February 2nd, 2018

Japan Society NY
presents
Godzilla (c) 1954 Toho Co., Ltd.
Godzilla / Gojira
Directed by Ishiro Honda
With Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi, Akihiko Hirata, and Takashi Shimura 
Japan 1954, 96 minutes 
DCP, b&w, in Japanese with English subtitles

When: Friday, February 2, 2018 at 7:00 PM
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street, NYC
Map
Tickets: $13/$10 seniors & students / $5 Japan Society members

The seminal classic that introduced the world to kaiju eiga and everyone's favorite city-stomping radioactive monster.

Directed by Ishiro Honda, Godzilla provided the ultimate allegory for post-war nuclear anxiety through the story of a prehistoric sea creature rampaging through Tokyo after being awakened by underwater H-bomb testing.

A domestic box office hit that went on to enrapture international audiences and spawn over two dozen sequels and countless imitations, the original film still retains the power to inspire awe in its evocation of humanity's confrontation with the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation.

Related Event:
Directing Godzilla: The Life of Filmmaker Ishiro Honda
Wednesday, February 21, 6:30 PM

Special Offer: Save $2 on the Directing Godzilla: The Life of Filmmaker Ishiro Honda talk with your ticket purchase to this screening. To redeem, add both tickets to your cart and the discount will automatically be deducted. (No code necessary.)

Saturday, December 16, 2017

HIROSHIMA coming to Japan Society NY on January 19th, 2018

Japan Society NY
presents
Hiroshima
Directed by Hideo Sekigawa
With Eiji Okada, Yumeji Tsukioka, Takashi Kanda, and Isuzu Yamada
Japan, 1953, 104 minutes
Blu-ray, b&w, in Japanese with English subtitles

When: Friday, January 19, 2018 at 7:00 PM
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street, NYC
Tickets: $13/$10 seniors & students / $5 Japan Society members 

Based on Children of the Atom Bomb, a book of testimonies by children who experienced the bombing of Hiroshima, Hideo Sekigawa's harrowing drama details the destruction and suffering left in the wake of the A-bomb for a group of students, teachers and their families.

A direct indictment against nuclear war and the mistreatment of Hiroshima's stigmatized survivors, this independently produced and distributed film was funded by the Japan Teachers Union in an effort to "preserve peace" and utilized tens of thousands of Hiroshima citizens as extras, including many survivors.

Recently rediscovered after decades of obscurity, Hiroshima is a major work of anti-war cinema and a chilling reminder of the consequences of nuclear warfare.

Part of Monthly Classics
Year-round screenings of beloved classics, hidden gems and recent discoveries of Japanese cinema. Only $5 for Japan society members!

Friday, December 15, 2017

SECTION23 FILMS announces its January 2018 slate of releases

 

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its January slate of releases which includes Sentai Filmworks’ premium box set for the “sleeper” comedy, Tanaka-kun is Always Listless, the anime adaptation of the popular web manga by Square Enix.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: KISSDUM R - ENGAGE PLANET COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by: Maiden Japan
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 650 min.
Street Date: 1/2/2018
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $89.98

SYNOPSIS: The destruction of a cruise ship leaves thousands dead, but the body count is only beginning. As researchers try to make sense of the strange new fish and insects appearing around the world, scientist Rurika Yuno and the N.I.D.F. attempt to track down the source of the mutation, a mysterious artifact called the Book of The Dead. When the Book is finally located, all Hell breaks loose. Literally. As swarms of hellspawned fireflies and giant unearthly creatures attack mercilessly across the planet, Rurika is forced to use the Book to resurrect her dead lover, fighter pilot Aiba Shu. But can even humanity's last desperate line of defense - the Necrodiver - defeat an ancient evil whose only goal is to exterminate all mankind? The final war has begun in KISSDUM R - ENGAGE PLANET!


Title: NAISHO NO TSUBOMI COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 85 min.
Street Date: 1/9/2018
Format: DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: Just as Tsubomi is getting ready to start the fifth grade, everything she thought she knew about her life suddenly starts to change. Not only has her mother just told her that she's about to become a big sister, but Tsubomi's been starting to feel a little strange herself and it seems that there's a lot more to growing up than she thought! Unfortunately, people's bodies don't come with owners' manuals, so Tsubomi will have to rely on advice from her friends at school and most of them don't know any more than she does. (Some of them are even BOYS!) Fortunately, there's that mysterious new transfer student, Saya, who seems to be a bit more knowledgeable, and with some help from Mom, Tsubomi just might make it through adolescence unscathed in NAISHO NO TSUBOMI!


Title: HAIKYU!! SEASON 2
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 625 min.
Street Date: 1/16/2018
Format: BD, DVD, COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98, $79.98, $199.98

SYNOPSIS: The drama heats up, both on and off the volleyball court, as the rivalry between teammates Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama continues to develop in new and unexpected ways. After the team's dramatic setback in Inter-High Preliminaries, Karasuno gets the unexpected opportunity to go to a training camp in Tokyo alongside other top schools in the nation... including their rival team, Nekoma! In order to attend, though, the dynamic duo must pass their exams, and getting Hinata and Kageyama through that challenge will be the trial by fire for Hitoka Yachi, who could be joining Kiyoko Shimizu as a team manager. With the eyes of their opponents fixed on their progress, will it be the spark needed to get the team moving in the right direction? Passions burn, and tempers flare as the fuse is lit for HAIKYU!! SEASON 2!


Title: TYPHOON NORUDA BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 26 min.
Street Date: 1/23/2018
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: As an unexpected typhoon bears down on a small tropical island, a group of students trapped at school find themselves forced to put aside their personal issues and work together. Not only to save themselves, but possibly the lives of everyone on the planet! Because there's something very strange about this storm, and as the driving rain, hurricane-force winds and multiple lightning strikes threaten to tear their world apart, everything seems to revolve around a mysterious girl who appears as suddenly as the storm itself. Only hours before, Shuichi Azuma and Saijo Kunta were at each other's throats over baseball; now they'll have to join together to unravel the secret of the ultimate rider on the storm in TYPHOON NORUDA!


Title: TANAKA-KUN IS ALWAYS LISTLESS COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 1/30/2018
Format: BD, DVD, COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98, $59.98, $149.98

SYNOPSIS: Tanaka-kun can't help it. Put him someplace nice and warm, and he'll start nodding off, even in class or on the way to school. You would think that this would eat into Tanaka's social life, but, fortunately, our consciousness-challenged protagonist has a guardian angel in the form of his best friend Ota, a gentle giant who (literally) carries Tanaka from place to place. Then there's class-rep Shiraishi, who's convinced that Tanaka's unique perspective lets him see past her beautiful appearance; Miyano, their hyper pint-sized classmate who somehow becomes Tanaka's unwanted apprentice in listlessness; and Echizen, a self-proclaimed delinquent who's determined to fight him. As for Tanaka, being the center of attention is the last place he wants to be, but the world just won't leave him alone in TANAKA-KUN IS ALWAYS LISTLESS.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

CHASING THE DRAGON coming to Digital, Blu-ray Combo Pack & DVD January 23rd from Well Go USA

Well Go USA
Entertainment
presents
Chasing the Dragon
Directd by Jing Wong
Hong Kong/China, 2017, 129 minutes

Iconic action stars Donnie Yen (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, IP Man franchise) and Andy Lau (House of Flying Daggers) team up for the stylish Hong Kong crime thriller Chasing the Dragon, debuting on digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD January 23 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Based on a true story, Yen plays an illegal immigrant from Mainland China who sneaks into corrupt British-colonized Hong Kong in 1963 and transforms himself into a ruthless drug lord. Lau reprises the role of the corrupt cop seeking money and power he originated in the Lee Rock franchise. As The Action Elite noted, “Donnie Yen and Andy Lau are superb, there’s plenty of R-rated action and the story is never dull for a second.”

Chasing the Dragon also stars Kent Cheng (IP Man franchise), Philip Keung (Drug War, The Stool Pigeon), Wilfred Lau (Young Bruce Lee), Yu Kang (Kung Fu Killer), Michelle Hu (Once Upon a Time in Shanghai) and Raquel Xu (Chinese Wine). Hong Kong cinema fans should look out for cameo appearances from movie legends Kenneth Tsang (Rush Hour 2) and Chan Wai-man (Dragon Strike).

Synopsis:
Donnie Yen stars as infamous real-life drug kingpin Crippled Ho, who came to Hong Kong an illegal immigrant in 1963 and ruthlessly carved an empire from the chaotic underworld of drug dealers and corrupt police that ruled the city under notorious detective Lee Rock (Andy Lau).

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

MEMOIR OF A MURDERER coming exclusively to digital on December 19th

Well Go USA
presents
Memoir of a Murderer
Directed by Won Shin-Yun
Starring Sol Kyung-Gu, Kim Nam-Gil & Kim Seol-Hyun
South Korea, 2017, 118 minutes

Based on a bestselling book by Kim Young-ha, Memoir of a Murderer debuts exclusively on digital next Tuesday, December 19th from Well Go USA Entertainment. Directed by Won Shin-Yun (Seven Days), MEMOIR OF A MURDERER stars Sol Kyung-Gu (Oasis), Kim Nam-Gil (The Pirates, No Regret) and Kim Seol-Hyun (Gangnam Blues) in a horror-thriller about a former serial killer with Alzheimer’s who fights to protect his daughter from her psychotic boyfriend.

Synopsis:
Byung-soo, a retired serial killer, lives a quiet life with his daughter Eun-hee, who has cared for him ever since his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. When Eun-hee brings home her new boyfriend Tae-ju, Byung-soo realizes Tae-ju is a serial killer too. To save his daughter, Byung-soo must fight Tae-ju as well as his own mind.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Animated neo-noir HAVE A NICE DAY to open in NY on January 26th

STRAND RELEASING
presents
Have a Nice Day / Hao ji le
Directed by LIU Jian
Music by The Shanghai Restoration Project
China, 2017, 77 minutes
In Mandarin with English subtitles

OFFICIAL SELECTION: Berlin international Film festival

2017 WINNER! BEST ANIMATED FEATURE- 54 GOLDEN HORSE AWARDS

Opens theatrically in New York on Friday, January 26th
with a national release to follow

Filmmaker Liu Jian cements his place as a pioneering force in independent Chinese animation with the whirlwind neo-noir HAVE A NICE DAY.

Synopsis:
A hard rain is about to fall on a small town in Southern China. In a desperate attempt to find money to save his fiancée's failed plastic surgery, Xiao Zhang, a humble driver, steals a bag containing 1 million Yuan from his boss. News of the robbery spreads fast within the town and, over the course of one night, everyone starts looking for Xiao Zhang and his money.

Tuesday, December 05, 2017

THE ADVENTURERS is available on digital today; a Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Pack will be coming on January 2nd

Well Go USA
presents
The Adventurers / Xia dao lian meng
Directed by Stephen Fung
Starring Andy Lau & Jean Reno
China/Hong Kong/Czech Republic, 2017, 104 minutes

Hong Kong Superstar Andy Lau (House of Flying Daggers, Internal Affairs) is a charismatic thief who is pursued by French icon Jean Reno (Leon: The Professional, The Da Vinci Code, Mission Impossible) as a tenacious detective in the globetrotting caper film The Adventurers. It's available on digital starting today, Tuesday, December 5th from Well Go USA Entertainment. A Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Pack will become available on January 2nd, 2018.

Infamous thief Cheung Tan (Lau) has recently been released from prison. Cheung immediately plots a heist with his partners in order to steal precious jewels in Europe. Meanwhile, French detective Pierre (Reno) has been hot on Cheung’s trails for many years. This time, he decides to capture Cheung and his gang of thieves for good.

Directed by Stephen Fung (Tai Chi Zero, Tai Chi Hero), The Adventurers also stars Shu Qi (The Transporter, The Assassin) and Zhang Jingchu (Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation). Bonus materials include a three-part Making-of featurette that highlights the talented cast.

Synopsis:
In this slick, high-stakes action-adventure, the world’s top thieves – the infamous and charismatic Cheung (Andy Lau), his former partner in crime, Xiao (Tony Yang), and beautiful chameleon Ye (Shu Qi) - join forces to pull off the heist of a lifetime. But when they find themselves pursued across Europe by a legendary French detective (Jean Reno), they’ll have to take their game to the next level.

Friday, December 01, 2017

YUZO KAWASHIMA X AYAKO WAKAO film series at Japan Society NY this Saturday and Sunday

Japan Society NY
presents
Elegant Beast © 1962 Kadokawa
Yuzo Kawashima X Ayako Wakao
When: December 2nd and 3rd, 2017
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street, NYC

Just ahead of his centenary, Japan Society presents three brand-new 4K restorations of director Yuzo Kawashima’s collaborations with legendary actress Ayako Wakao. Each of the three films (schedule with links below) will be shown once each day.

Known for his acidic urban comedies and satires, the highly modern Kawashima (1918-1963) left behind 51 films, all of which remain criminally underseen in the U.S. These bold Kawashima gems featuring the luminous Wakao, full of playful visual surprises and sharp social commentary, offer a rare opportunity to reintroduce a master filmmaker who bridges the gap between the classical Japanese cinema of the 1950s and the New Wave of the 1960s.

“I know of no other director who reveals so much of himself in his work.”
— Shohei Imamura

Schedule:

Women Are Born Twice (a.k.a. A Geisha's Diary)
Saturday, December 2, 2:15 PM
Sunday, December 3, 4:30 PM

Elegant Beast
Saturday, December 2, 4:30 PM
Sunday, December 3, 6:45 PM

The Temple of Wild Geese
Saturday, December 2, 6:45 PM
Sunday, December 3, 2:15 PM

Tickets (per screening): $13/$10 seniors & students/$9 Japan Society members
Special Offer: Purchase all three Yuzo Kawashima x Ayako Wakao films in the same transaction and receive $2 off each ticket!

Related Screening: Manji, an erotic and darkly comic melodrama by Japanese New Wave auteur Yasuzo Masumura that stars a stunning Ayako Wakao; tonight, Friday, Dec. 1st at 7:00 PM